Ecosystems are made up of living and inanimate environments. Living things are called biotic factors, and non-living ones are called abiotic factors.
Biotic Factors
All living beings in an ecosystem are called biotic factors. Biotic factors are divided into three groups according to their ecological niches; producers, consumers and decomposers. The continuation of the vitality in the ecosystem depends on the continuity of the relationship between biotic factors.
a- Producers:
- Autotrophic organisms are the source of food in the ecosystem.
- They produce their own nutrients by converting inorganic substances into organic substances. Such creatures are called productive (autotrophic) creatures.
- Those who produce their food by making photosynthesis from these creatures are called photoautotrophs, and those who produce their food by chemosynthesis are called chemoautotrophs.
- Plants, algae and some types of bacteria are examples of producers.
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| Producers |
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b- Consumers:
- They are heterotrophic organisms that cannot perform photosynthesis or chemosynthesis and provide the organic compounds they need from the environment they live in.
- Protists, fungi, animals and bacteria are most consumers.
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| Consumers |
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c- Decomposers:
- Organisms that convert waste organic molecules and dead plants and animals into inorganic molecules are called decomposers.
- They can be found at every step of the food pyramid.
- They make extracellular digestion.
- They play the most important role in the substance cycle by ensuring the reuse of organic waste.
- Some bacteria and fungi are examples of this group.
Abiotic Factors
Abiotic factors are environmental conditions in which living things can survive. It determines which species can live in a certain environment. Sun light, temperature, water, climate, pH, soil and minerals are examples of abiotic factors. Let's examine some of them in detail.
a- Sunlight
- The main energy source of ecosystems is sun rays.
- The quality, duration and intensity of light are ecologically important.
- Light affects migration events, reproductive activities, skin pigmentations in animals.
- Light affects photosynthesis in plants.
- Increasing light intensity increases the speed of photosynthesis up to a certain value. After this value, the rate of photosynthesis remains constant.
- The amount of light reaching the environment affects the distribution of plants on earth.
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| Sunlight |
b- Water
- Water is an inorganic substance, because it cannot be produced by living things, it must be taken from the environment.
- Water is a very important abiotic factor for the life. 2/3 of the earth is covered with water. The source of the water factor, which is extremely important for terrestrial creatures, is precipitation. Precipitation is the event that water vapor in the atmosphere condenses and falls to the earth in liquid or solid form.
- Rain forests grow in equatorial areas with high precipitation rates, while more droughty plants such as cacti grow in arid regions with less precipitation.
- Enzymes involved in all living things cannot work if the ambient water falls below a certain level.
- Water is a good solvent that provides the transport of nutrients.
- Animals meet their water needs through drinking or water in food.
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| Waterfall |
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c- Temperature
- Temperature affects the functioning of enzymes and the speed of chemical reactions in living things. Therefore, it has an effect on physiological and biochemical functions.
- Temperature is the abiotic factor responsible for air movement in the atmosphere, climate changes and the formation of seasons. Therefore, temperature plays an important role in the life and distribution of life on earth.
- In nature, there are certain temperatures in which every species can survive. Temperature affects the development, reproduction and metabolism of living things.
- The temperature factor is important in events such as sprouting, blooming, fruiting, forming seeds in plants.
- Temperature fluctuations lead to behaviors such as migration, hibernation and being active at night in some animals.
d- Soil and Minerals
- The abiotic factor that occurs when rocks are broken down by the effect of water, wind and temperature is soil. The soil contains water, air, rock fragments, various organisms, organic substances and inorganic materials such as water and minerals. The source of organic matter in the soil is rotten plant and animal remains.
- Besides the water and minerals necessary for the development of soil plants, it forms a solid foundation on which they can hold on to their roots.
- It is a living environment for many animals and organisms.
- There are different types of soil according to the density of the main substance it contains.
- Humus soil: It is the most suitable soil for plant growth, containing abundant nutrients.
- Sandy soil: These are soils with very high osmotic pressure and unfavorable for plant growth.
- Calcareous soil: It is a soil with a high amount of calcium carbonate.
- Clayey soil: It is the soil where the amount of clay is high.
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| Soil Layers |
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e- pH
- The amount of H + and OH- ions in the medium indicates acidity or basicity.
- If the pH value is 7, the environment is neutral. If the pH is greater than 7, the medium is basic, if it is less than 7, the medium is acidic.
- Every living thing has a suitable pH value that it lives.
- It has an optimum pH value for each enzyme. Changing this value affects life activities.
- All living things are directly or indirectly affected by pH changes in soil and water.
f- Climate
- Atmospheric conditions that persist for a long time in a region are called climate. The large climate layer that affects the community is called macroclimates. Small climatic layers in a prominently small area are called microclimates.
- Microclimate areas are sheltered areas for sensitive species. For example, the part under the trees that make up a forest is the microclimate area.
- Many abiotic factors play a role in the formation of climates. The distance of the region to the equator, the height from the sea and the distance to the sea are also determinative for the climate.
- Climate is one of the most important factors affecting the spread of living things on earth.
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| Climate Types |
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The Original Author: Mrs. Şerife (Erden) SARICA
